1. It recognize eighteen Agamas. From the fifth to the ninth centuries
many great Shaiva saints like Sambandar Appar and Sundarar flourished in
South India whose hymns constitute a magnificently rich devotional
literature. The collection of these hymns is called Tirumurai.
Manikkavasagar (seventh century) has written his famous Tiruvasagam.
Meykandar the author of the Shiva jnanabodhamwho belongs to the
thirteenth century is regarded as the first systematic expounder of the
Siddhanta philosophy. His disciple Arulnandi Shivacharya is the author
of the famous work Shiva jnanasiddhiyar. Shrikantha Shivacharya
(fourteenth century) has written a commentary on the Brahmasutra which
is commented upon by Appaya Diksita in his Shivarkamanidipika in the
light of shivism in general though not strictly according to the
Siddhanta philosophy.
2. Shaiva Siddhanta calls itself 'Shuddhavaita' the name which
Vallabha's school bears. But whereas Vallabha means by the word
'Shuddha' that which is free from the impurity of Maya (Maya
sambandharahita) and by the word 'Advaita the non-dual Brahman Shaiva
Siddhanta takes the word 'Shuddha' in the sense of 'unqualified' and the
word 'Advaita' in the sense of 'Dvaita devoid of duality' which means
that difference is real in existence but inseparable from identity in
consciousness. This means that though matter and sould are real yet they
are not opposed to Shiva but are inseparably united with him who is the
supreme reality. This suggests the influence of Aprthaksiddhi of
Ramanuja. But whereas Ramanuja makes matter and sould only the
attributes of God Shaiva Siddhanta agrees with Madhva in giving them
substantive existence.
3. Shiva is the supreme reality and is called pati or the lord who
possesses the eight attributes of 'self-existence essential purity,
intuitive wisdom, infinite intelligence, freedom from all bonds infinite
grace of love omnipotence and infinite bliss. Junst as the potter is
the first cause his staff and wheel is the instrumental cause and clay
is the material cause of a pot similarly Shiva is the first cause his
Shakti is the instrumental cause and Maya is the material cause of this
world. The relation of Shiva and Shakti is that of identity (tadatmya)
though it is the power of the Lord. Thus Shakti is conscious unchanging
and eternal energy and is known as Svarupa Shakti.
4. The individual sould are called pashu for like cattle they are
bound by the rope of avidya to this world. The sould is really an
all-pervading eternal and conscious agent and enjoyer
(ichcha-jnana-kriyayukta). It has consciousness the essence of which is
in the act of seeing. It is different from the gross and the subtle body
and the senseorgans etc. The bound soulmis take themselves as finite
and limited in will thought and action and in liberation are restored to
their original nature.
5. The fetters which bind the souls are called pasha and are three
fold Avidya Karma and Maya. Avidya is one in all beings and is
beginningless. It is also called Anavamala or the impurity which
consists in the fales notion of the soul to regard itself finite or
atomic confined to the body and limited in knowledge and power. It is
avidya because it makes the sould ignorant of its inherent glory and
greatness. It is Anava because it makes the sould mistake itself as
atomic and finite. It is the bondage (Pashutva) of the beast (pashu).
Karma is produced by the deeds of the souls and is subtle and unseen
(adrsta) and is the cause of the union of the conscious with the
unconscious. Maya is the material cause of this impure world.
6. The removal of the pashu, makes the soul one with Shiva.
